Help save Hessie's turnout coat

In taking the first steps in turning the Yosemite Firehouse on Route 103 in Chester into a museum, preserving some of the most fragile items that reside in that iconic building is a priority.

Eleven rubberized canvas turnout coats worn by firefighters from the 1940s through the 1960s have seen hard service and poor storage since they were retired. Most give no clue as to who wore them. But included in these was a coat used by Clair Hesselton who during his years in Chester served not only as a firefighter and assistant chief, but as a select board member, a lister, a school board member, a local businessman and commander of the American Legion Post to name a few.

Today, Friends of Yosemite Firehouse Museum – a volunteer group that is working on plans to open the firehouse as a museum of rural firefighting – have had Hessie's coat examined by a highly respected museum textile conservator. She gave us a road map for preserving Hessie's coat for exhibiting in the future.

The work to stabilize and conserve the coat includes painstaking cleaning and re-humidifying, smoothing deeply set creases, conservation of the metal closures and museum quality repairs to years wear and tear as well as insect and other damage. The work also includes a custom mannequin made to support the coat while minimizing stress on its seams and material and to allow it to be displayed both front and back. The work also includes a large archival quality storage box for the coat when it is not on display.

The Friends intend to use this coat to raise awareness of its work on the building and to preserve the current collection which includes an 1841 Hunneman hand pumper and a 1930s American La France fire engine.

Be a part of the work to preserve this history and make it available to everyone. Every contribution - large or small - helps make that possible. The Friends group is a tax exempt 501 (c) (3) organization so donations are tax deductible.